Oceania: Football's natural outcasts

It would be wrong to suggest that FIFA has completely neglected the region. The FIFA Development Office for Oceania, which is based next to OFC headquarters in Auckland, works closely with the Confederation to ensure the continued development of football in the region. In conjunction with OFC, the FIFA Development Office organizes a range of courses to educate and train instructors, coaches, referees, medical personnel and various others involved in the game. The FIFA Goal Programme and Financial Assistance Programme have also been implemented in the region.

Where football lacks, is in the popularity. Football, unlike its global status, is not the most popular sports in the region. Rugby, in its variations, is the dominant sport; And is the national sport of New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. Infact, Fiji’s rugby sevens team is one of the most successful teams in the sport. Football takes a backseat when compared to Rugby. Interestingly, Vanuatu is the only country in Oceania to call football its national sport. Even Australian Rules Soccer enjoys a better fan following.

Football remains overshadowed by Rugby in countries like Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa

The level of African football has risen in the past decade and a half as many programmes linked with upliftment of the region have used football as a tool for creating awareness about poverty, unemployment, literacy and crime issues. Such an endeavor might not be viable in the Oceania region as the game doesn’t enjoys the popularity as it does in Africa. Also, many African players play in the cash-rich European leagues. These players in association of their clubs have helped in setting up football academies in Africa which have helped the young talent. But as not many players from Oceania play in big leagues, even the academy movement has not yet taken over Oceania.

The professional leagues from Europe have started commercially targeting Asia, as Asia provides a large audience. Also the economies in the Asian countries are strong. Oceania lacks in both the fronts. In the off season, the clubs will go on tours to different countries like the Far East and the South East Asian countries or the US as it will be commercially rewarding on many levels. But Oceania won’t be able to provide the target audience or the expected financial returns. Thus, even the professional leagues give Oceania a miss.

The format of the Confederations Cup allows participation of one Oceania team. The winners of the OFC Nations Cup get to participate in the Confederations Cup as the OFC representative. It is quite ironic that while Tahiti, in beating New Zealand to the OFC Nations Cup trophy, scripted one the biggest upsets and perhaps the greatest Oceania footballing story, on the world stage the only stories that are being discussed are by what margin will the other teams thrash Tahiti in the competition.

This is the sad truth. Come end of the tournament, there will be sympathetic reports about Tahiti’s Confederations Cup participation. Perhaps New Zealand, Oceania’s representative for the World cup inter-continental playoff, will create an upset and qualify for the 2014 World Cup, second time in a row. But till that happens and barring the future World Cups and Confederations Cups, Oceania football, will sadly, not be missed by the rest of the world.